DEFENCE Force scored on either side of the halves to defeat Police FC in the battle of the protective services in the fourth round of the TT Premier Football League on Sunday at the Police Barracks, St James.
Striker Brent Sam gave Army the lead in the 25th minute from the penalty spot. The former youth player sent national goalkeeper Adrian Foncette the wrong way for the one-nil lead which lasted for almost the entirety of the match.
Police FC had an improved second period but squandered several goal-scoring chances in front of their home crowd. However, substitute Lashawn Roberts sealed the victory for the Teteron Boys in the 94th minute with his powerful strike far post beating a diving Foncette to send the crowd home in silence. Defence Force FC move to fourth with 6 points and Police FC remain at the bottom of the table pointless from three matches.
In the earlier match at the same venue, AC Port of Spain whipped Prisons FC 5-0 to record the largest defeat of the campaign thus far. Despite having a potent strike force, three of AC’s goals came from the pair of central defenders Radanfah Abu Bakr (2) and Robert Primus (1).
Primus scored the fastest goal of the season which came in the first minute of play. There was no letting off as a Che Benny corner rebounded off a Prisons defender and Primus was well-positioned in the six-yard box to spank it home for the one-nil lead. Primus then tagged his defensive partner, Abu Bakr who turned in a Benny cross for the 2-0 lead in the 21st minute. Then, twenty minutes later the lanky defender was unmarked to head home the third goal giving goalkeeper Jevon Bourne a nightmare in the first half. The next two goals came in stoppage time in the second half from substitutes Jomoul Francois (92nd) and Brian Armstrong (95th).
Results:
Central FC 3 (Keron Cummings 3rd penalty & 81st; Maurice Dick 51st) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Dantaye Gilbert 12th; Trevis Byron 36th)
La Horquetta Rangers 4 (Tyrone Charles 6th & 63rd; Ataulla Guerra 22nd; Isaiah Lee 78th) v Club Sando 4 (Kareem Riley 27th; Nicholas Dillon 62nd pen & 90+4 penalty; Nathaniel O`Garro 88th)
Cunupia FC 2 (Romario Williams 26th; Rhondel Gibson 42nd) v Point Fortin Civic 1 (Nathaniel Garcia 86th)
W Connection 0 v 0 Morvant Caledonia United
AC Port of Spain 5 (Robert Primus 1st, Radanfah Abu Bakr 21st, 41st, Jomoul Francois 92nd, Brian Armstrong 95th) v Prisons FC 0
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‘Ball Pest’, Central FC on fire.
By Andrea Perez-Sobers (T&T Express).
SELECTED on the Team of the Week for the opening two match-days of the new Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League, former T&T midfielder Keron “Ball Pest” Cummings was also among the goals as leaders Central FC staged a comeback when defeating San Juan Jabloteh 3-2 at La Horquetta on Friday night.
Cummings’ three international goals have come against CONCACAF giants Mexico, from 14 appearances for T&T, including twice at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Now 34, Cummings has scored for Central FC in victories over W Connection (2-0), Cunupia FC (3-0) and San Juan Jabloteh (3-2). Central captain Cummings leads all goal-scorers with four goals, including twice on Friday, as Central stayed top-of-the-table after rallying from 2-1 down to grab all three points.
Also rallying impressively were third-placed Club Sando. Led by Nicholas Dillon’s two penalties, “Sando” twice came from two goals down to draw a thriller 4-4 with Rangers in the second match of Friday’s double-header at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground. A game of many beautiful goals began with Rangers leading 2-0 from Tyronne Charles’ spectacular curling free-kick and Ataulla Guerra’s low shot, following a defensive error.
Kareem Riley’s wickedly curling free-kick sent Rangers’ goalkeeper Jabari Brice the wrong way for 2-1 and Dillon’s first penalty knotted up the scores at 2-2. But almost immediately La Horquetta captain Charles got his second, powerfully sending the ball inside the near post with the outside of his right foot and Isaiah Lee spectacularly re-directed a corner-kick, giving La Horquetta a 4-2 advantage. Sando’s second comeback began with Nathaniel O’Garro roofing the ball with a first-time shot in the 89th minute, and Dillon converted a penalty four minutes into added-on time to give the South team a deserved share of the spoils
Meanwhile, veteran defenders Robert Primus and Radanfah Abu Bakr scored the opening three goals as second-placed AC Port of Spain humbled newcomers and defending Super League (second tier) champions Prisons FC 5-0. At age 36, “Abu” has been having a terrific season at central defence, but provides a threat from set plays as well. He scored the second and third goals against Prison, while missing two others.
Defence Force also moved up the table after edging a closely-fought protective services derby 2-0 before a huge turnout of fans Sunday at the Police Barracks. Brent Sam scored a first half penalty, before substitute Lashawn Roberts powerfully blasted the second across goal in the dying stages.
Defence Force have won their last two and are turning their guns on youthful W Connection this weekend.
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